


Stolen Hope

by FenFalon2020



Category: Pathfinder: Kingmaker (Video Game)
Genre: Barbarian backstory, Fireside Chats, Getting to know the Baroness, No actual violence but it's mentioned, pretty sure Scimitar fans will be annoyed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:22:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26367142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FenFalon2020/pseuds/FenFalon2020
Summary: Linzi the excitable Halfling Bard with a nose for stories notices the sword on the back of her fearless leader and wants the story.
Kudos: 1





	Stolen Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Nylida's clan is heavily inspired by the Stone in Wood clan from The Dark crystal, particularly with the "sword burning" thing, though i just made Nylida's clan have a more spiritual connotation to it. 
> 
> Anyway this was written in the very early hours of the morning so there may or may not be some erros i missed, though Nylida's speech patterns are how i see her actually speaking.
> 
> as with many stories on this site i don't own anything aside from my own Character Nylida Wolfblade.

The Stolen lands were as treacherous as they were beautiful, vast swaths of landscape ruled by a bandit known only as The Stag Lord. The death of this particularly dangerous bandit was the price put forth by Lady Jamandi Aldori of the Swordlords for the title of Baron of The Stolen lands. The chance at founding a new noble family drew all sorts of ambitious adventurers from all over the land from all races and backgrounds. In the end however the numerous adventurers were wittled down to two bands led by two vastly different adventurers, one led by the Pale Gnome clad in purple robes by the name of Tartuccio, a toad like Gnome who radiated unease and arrogance with a glance, following him was the Dwarven Cleric Harrim and the pale elf Jaethal who had expressed interest in following the man’s more direct approaches to problems. The other and much larger party was led by an a grey skinned Elven Barbarian named Nylida Wolfblade, the difference between the two leaders couldn’t be more obvious both in terms of stature, but also in approach, where Tartuccio would gladly leave injured soldiers to die to achieve his goals, Nylida stopped to save those she could, risking the flames of a burning building to save men who had suffered horrific injuries. Turning away from Gold left in the armoury upon learning it was to pay for the guards of the manor of her host. Though both charged to the defence of Lady Aldori during an assassination attempt. It was Nylida who leapt for the sake of saving someone in need and not for the allure of gold and glory that a title would bring her. 

The morning after the attempt on her life, Nylida and her companions; The Halfling Bard Linzi, the Human Fighter Valerie, and the Human Barbarian Amiri set off into the Outskirts of the Stolen lands. Their journey taking only a matter of days to reach the small trading post suggested to them by Lady Aldori, yet the small band found time to discuss their origins and begin to form the bonds of companionship, though Linzi found herself curious about their elven leader. Even the fellow Barbarian Amiri was somewhat interested in seeing a fellow female Barbarian though she herself had not heard of any elves casting off the trappings of their society to run in the forests living off the land and following the great beasts of the land. Despite her much more lithe and somewhat delicate by comparison features, Nylida carried herself with much the same air of confidence as Amiri and even bore scars from various beasts on her body, and could often be heard loudly bragging to Amiri about the beasts she had fought and gotten into what both Barbarians described as “The tale of scars” which often bordered on insulting each other, yet they never seemed to outright offend each other’s battles. Each comment made to sound like they called each other weak held a sense of appreciation and compliment for the other’s capabilities. With each encounter the party had with enemies it had become tradition for the two Barbarians to compare kill counts, and the various means they had ended their foes, with Nylida being especially giddy when she had managed to kill two bandits with a spear before snapping the spear after it was lodged in the first two victims and impaling a third on the broken shaft of wood. 

Despite this however, Linzi noticed that Nylida never seemed to us the Scimitar on her back, instead opting to use spears, crude axes or any weapon their foes dropped in the initial onset of combat, even after weeks of travel and coming across all manner of foes both gigantic and small, the scimitar never saw the light of day. Even their companions had noticed, yet did not seem overly concerned by it, with Amiri shrugging it off as “wanting more fun in a fight.” That answer didn’t sit well with Linzi, true Nylida enjoyed combat a great deal, yet it didn’t seem to be a good reason to keep such a weapon sheathed. Eventually gathering her courage after a long day of travelling through the forest that made up the Northern Narlmarches they made camp on the banks of the Thorn river. Linzi knew that Nylida preferred to do hunting on her own while Amiri and Valerie set up camp, and Linzi was placed in charge of meals, with both Barbarians somewhat sheepishly admitting that cooking wasn’t really among their skillset, or rather sheepishly in Nylida’s case and loudly yelling obscenities when asked about cooking in the case of Amiri. Once their leader returned to camp with the bodies of some small forest critters slung over her shoulder, Linzi felt that it was her time to broach the subject that had been on her mind.  
“So, Nylida, can I ask you something?” Linzi asked as Nylida began to skin the various critters she had caught, seeming unbothered by the small bloodstains on her hands as she began her work.  
“You just did.” Nylida said in a deadpan tone of voice though Linzi noticed the slight amusement in the elven woman’s features as she tossed some gore into the river watching as some manner of aquatic creature snapped it up almost as soon as it landed in the water.  
“Your sword…” Linzi began and Nylida’s expression changed as she looked at the halfling, and for a moment Linzi understood how the critter Nylida was currently skinning felt seeing this towering elven woman before her. Linzi could not describe Nylida’s expression as purely angry, yet it was more akin to predatory curiosity, the same kind a lion might display towards a particularly brave mouse before devouring it.  
“I don’t use a Heart Blade on those not worthy of it.” Nylida said bluntly as she returned to her work quietly making Linzi blink in surprise at the response. She had never heard the term used before and she highly doubted that whatever tribe Nylida came from would have a different name for a scimitar, especially not one quite so special for what could possibly have been a trophy from some overconfident bandit.  
“A Heart Blade?” Linzi asked as she looked at Nylida noticing how the woman paused as though something had occurred to her before chuckling.  
“In my tribe, when we go to war and win we burn the blades that we used in our victory, the blades of the victor and the blades of the fallen, our hearts burn for the land’s life to flourish.” Nylida said as she looked at Linzi. “We are at War with this Stag Lord, though he does not know it, does not understand it.” She continued.  
“So, when we kill the Stag Lord, you’re going to burn your sword?” Linzi asked in confusion not fully understanding why someone would waste such a weapon on a Bandit, even an influential one. “But you’ll become a Baron, ruler of these lands, wouldn’t you want people to see the blade that did it?” Linzi asked and Nylida smiled a bit.  
“Halfling, we live short lives and in time the world forgets us, our deeds become bedtime stories mothers tell their children, but would anyone care for the tools we used?” Nylida asked in a tone that reminded Linzi of a patient teacher trying to explain something to an unruly student. “Stag Lord may win and take my blade as a trophy, his right as the victor, yet when he becomes bones in the dirt, will anyone look at the sword and say “That is the blade of Nylida Wolfblade!” No, no they will not.” Nylida said before gesturing to the fire. “Fire on the other hand consumes all, by burning the blade I used to kill him it frees me of his blood, frees me of any feeling I have in his death, he feeds the land just as I will in time, to my tribe, by feeding the fire with the blades of both the conqueror and the conquered we are united in life and in death.” Nylida explained as she worked and Linzi frowned before nodding and silently left their leader alone to her work. Deciding that she may understand the practice better if she ever saw it with her own eyes. 

After several weeks and much preparation for it, Nylida led her party into the Stag Lord’s home and true to her word; Nylida used her scimitar to end the life of the Stag Lord and the lieutenants that stood by him. The fight was long and bloody, but eventually Nylida stood above the defeated Bandit Lord and won her kingdom with a swing of her scimitar she ended the tyraniical reign of the Stag Lord and his followers, and true to her word, Nylida carried the Scimitar and the blades of the Stag Lord and his lieutenants to the nearest forge that the bandits had constructed in their fort and threw all of them into the burning coals and watched with a solemn expression as the cheaper and inferior blades slowly melted under the heat while the blades of both the Stag Lord and Nylida herself were the last to join the pool of melted metal. Once the blades melted Nylida closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “May you find peace in the next life brothers and sisters and know that one day I shall join you and hope you greet me as a friend.” She said solemnly before turning away from the forge and walking towards her companions as they exited the Stag Lord’s home.  
“The Stag Lord kept his insane Father in a cell, though fortunately we will not have to worry about his insanity spreading to our new Baron.” Jaethal said as she looked at her fellow elf. “Got your sword disposing ritual out of the way?” she asked and Nylida nodded before looking at the large home.  
“All mine, then?” she asked and Linzi nodded excitedly.  
“Yes, along with the Stolen Lands itself, you’re the new Baron and a hero!” Linzi said making Nylida smile a bit as she looked at the Halfling.  
“Hero to some, not to others, Linzi, let us return to Oleg and let him know what has happened here… and I will need to find a new weapon.” Nylida said before turning to leave.  
“So you can throw THAT one into the fire as well?” Jaethal asked folding her arms in a somewhat condescending tone making Nylida pause.  
“There is only one Heart Blade, I am… Free.” Nylida said before looking at Linzi “So, Longsword or another type of blade?” she asked with a playful look on her face.  
“You are incorrigible.” Jaethal grumbled as the party left the ruins and began the trek back to the Trading post and from there back to the city of Restov where Nylida’s coronation as Baron awaited. 

** Two weeks later  **

Linzi glanced around the Banquet hall excitedly seeing the various nobles and other adventurers who had answered the call by the Aldori for trying to tame the Stolen lands. Though she was saddened to see the leader of her party had been up to that point absent from the celebrations, turning her head hearing the doors open a grin grew on her face as the elven barbarian walked in wearing new leather armour and upon her hip was a brand new sword, though Linzi couldn’t see what it was from a distance. As the Barbarian walked towards her Linzi took in the details of Nylida’s armour, and she realised that it was a mix of leather and chain mail, a leather chest pieces that covered her upper torso but a mail suit covered her body leaving her hands and feet free, with leather bracers and greaves to add protection.  
“Linzi, I see you’re enjoying the new armour.” Nylida said with a slight smile. “It’s only ceremonial, as soon as we get back to the Barony I’m having my own armour made.” She continued making Linzi nod.  
“any ideas so far?” Linzi asked her mind already taking in every detail to spin into a heroic tale later.  
“I am unsure at present…” Nylida said and only now did Linzi take in the way Nylida spoke, each word measured as though speaking as a noble was taking an extreme amount of effort. “I decided on a new blade, however.” Nylida said as she unclipped the sheath from her belt and handed it to Linzi, the blade was small, about the length of Nylida’s forearm with an unusual grip, after a few moments Linzi realised she was looking at a specially made Falcata, with the hilt resembling a Stag with the antlers forming a scimitar like guard.  
“It’s a beautiful blade.” Linzi said as she carefully handed the sword back to Nylida who smiled.  
“It is, I will need to think of a name for her… or I could leave it to my resident bard to come up with one.” Nylida said with a smile catching Linzi off guard as the Barbarian turned and walked towards the waiting Nobles. Linzi blinked as she walked her Baron walk away, and a grin grew across the Halfling’s face as the gears began turning. She knew that while Nylida may not care about how people remembered her she knew how much this history unfolding before Linzi meant to the little bard every scrap of detail was going into the book and Linzi knew even now that she knew that the story she would write for her baron would be a good one. 

But first she had to think of a name for that blade.


End file.
